Miren was a wigged-woman walking.
Sure, it wasn't smart to be on the streets alone at nightfall, but due to the Valentine's Day holiday, downtown was filled to the brim with lovely lovers. And as much as she wanted to snort at their affections and their capitalistic obligation to shower fancy gifts and dinners on each other, she was thankful for their presence. Sort of.
A cold breeze blew past her, momentarily brushing her bangs out of her face. Suddenly feeling exposed, her gaze fell to the ground. It was dark, so she had neglected her sunglasses hours ago. And although her dark brown skin and monochrome attire made her look like a shadow, she was still radiant in the restaurant lighting. And asking to get caught.
"It's not like anyone's looking for me," she quickly reassured herself, adjusting her scarf. Retail therapy was a financially draining decision, but she needed to look different. She wasn't one for heels, which was why she was wearing ankle-length boot heels. They weren't high by any means, but they were tight, like the skinny jeans she wore. She forgot how much female clothes sucked. Her only consolation was her stylish, but unisex winter jacket. She readjusted her matching beanie as she watched a couple laugh past her. She wished she could laugh at life.
Instead, she was at the world's greatest impasse. It would be juvenile to say that she hated Jeno (well, not anymore), especially when Penelope held a special place in her heart. But that's what was so frustrating about the whole dealâthe fact that it wasn't black or white. She could very easily choose to be the better person, to just get over her stupid, hormone-charged emotions. But she had only chose to hide from her problems.
Very mature. She readjusted her deflated backpack, already getting tired of her uneventful adventure. All she wanted to do was go home, but she had realized a long time ago that it never existed for her. And as much as she wanted to call that dingy dorm in Rinzen one, she knew she couldn't. Because that would mean accepting Jeno.
When she couldn't even accept herself.
She exhaled, leaving a trail of visible air in her conflicted wake. To go back or not go back, that was the question of the hour. As an academic, she had required no real skill other than playing the viola, and being able to study hours on end. Maybe she could be a tutor for spoiled rich kids? Then again, she was dead. And the fake Hawaiian ID she carriedâSara Smith, 18, wore corrective lens, organ donor, looked suspiciously like Gabrielle Unionâwas both the Jane Doe of fake names and identification.
Discrete was the name of the game, but she was still deciding whether or not she wanted to play. Naturally, she was still conflicted when she heard someone whistle in her direction. She didn't even bother turning toward itâafter all, no one ever whistled at herâthen again, there was that whole secret identity thing she had to defend. Her pace quickened as the whistling and nicknames grew in intensity.
"Hey, chocolate cutie!" Okay, she had to turn at that one. Not because she was flattered, but because she finally had a stranger to take out her frustrations on. But because she was the queen of coincidentally bad luck, she was staring Axel and Cliff in the face. They were carrying some watermelons (probably spiked with vodka or something), and Miren cocked her head in confusion before shock spread through her body. What the hell were they doing here?
"You do realize how racist you both look cat-calling me while holding watermelons, don't you?" Her own voice surprised her in a way. Maybe that's why she had to run awayâso she wouldn't lose herself completely. Axel and Cliff exchanged looks before shaking their heads.
"We do now." Axel flashed her a wicked grin. He'd actually be quite handsome  if she could stop thinking about all the girls he'd "conquered". "We saw you looking all glum and sullen and wanted to see what's up. Do you go to Rosemunde? I'm surprised we haven't met."
"Try Bill Clinton High," she replied coyly, referring to the nearby public school. Axel's grin widened.
"Even better." She fought the urge to roll her eyes. As if going to public school equated promiscuity...
"If we don't get the melons in now, Penelope's going to kill us!" Cliff shook his head. "Jemma's already beaten through the piñata."
"Well, which ones have tequila and which ones are normal?" Axel shook his head. "You had one job, Cliff."
As the boys began to bicker, Miren started to walk off. God, she knew Jemma would be having a party, but how had she almost waltzed right into it?! And if Jemma was there, that meant everyone she hated would be there too!
A hand latched onto hers before her feet or her thought could get too far. "You're not leaving until I get a dance..." Axel's hazel eyes glowed in the party lights reflecting off the window of the  nightclub. "...I never got your name."
Miren caught a groan in her throat. It would be so easy to kick him in the balls and run the fuck away, but something deep and dangerous inside of her didn't want to. She could see the neon lights; hear the blaring dub step her peers insisted on calling music. Plus, it wasn't like Axel was a PhD candidate; he didn't know her before, and now wasn't an exception.
She eased a little bit, nodding. She had to stop operating on a "fuck it" mentality, but she honestly didn't see how anything would get worse with a harmless dance. She narrowed her eyes. "No funny business, got it?"
Axel led her inside, a laugh sliding off his lips.
"Roger that."
***
About a hundred of Jemma's closest friends assembled in the clubhouse. The music was so loud that it was somehow blinding, and the lights were so bright that they were somehow deafening. The dance floor was filled to the brim as a popular DJ spun even more popular hits. Jemma had just smashed the piñata and some watermelons, and with the croquembouche half gone, it was safe to say the party was in full throttle.
Which meant Chara and Olive were stuck making sure nothing went out of control. Chara winced as someone knocked over the punch bowl. Well, more out of control.
"I'm sorry I dragged you into this," Chara said over the roar of music. "Penelope wouldn't let me come unless I had a terrible time." She motioned to her outfit, which was a cross between a caterer's attire and the Queen of Hearts. "Just when I think her bitch capacity is running low."
"It could be worse," Olive assured her as she replaced the bowl on the table, not even bothering to wipe up the punch on the cement floor. "Besides, this is the perfect venue to get some dirt on her. Pay attention."
"I don't know what I'll see that a thousand other students won't," Chara replied, wrinkling her nose. She was even more confused when Olive shook her head.
"And there lies the problem. If you want to get payback on someone, the best way to do it is without their knowledge." She watched Penelope whisper something in Parker's ear. The couple was toward the bar area. In a moment, Levi pulled the senior away. And Penelope turned toward a guy a couple feet down from her. Chara narrowed her eyes at the male. Jeno?
"He's a looker," Olive admired, nudging Chara in the ribs. "Are you sure you don't want to reintroduce yourself?" The sophomore snorted.
"That's Jeno. He's one of my ex-boyfriend's friends."
"Then is he not your friend?"
"I don't know," Chara considered, scratching her head. "I'm pretty sure Wallace got him in the divorce. But that doesn't explain why he's buddying up with Penelope."
"And why is that?"
Chara could feel her heart clench. She didn't like the idea of feeding the new girl sensitive, if not dangerous, information. Long story short, she didn't know. Miren and Jeno had their own schemes, and for once she was glad to be left in the dark. "Parker and Jeno are academic rivals. Sort of like Miren and Penelope, except they don't want to kill each other. So I don't know why he'd be chatting up with Parker's girlfriend. Even if their relationship is nothing more that a high school popularity stunt." Chara gritted her teeth as she watched Penelope laugh. Huh, who knew she was capable of genuine laugher? Or that Jeno could tell jokes? She shook her head. "Either way, it won't last beyond prom."
"If you say so," the other girl replied, jotting a few notes on her phone. She looked up, saw Jemma in Klondike's arms as she bobbed slightly to the music as she sipped from a black solo cup. But she also saw what Jemma was staring at, or rather, who. At first, it was hard to make them out in the flashing crowd, Artemis and Theodora. Olive's interest almost deflated until she saw whom else the birthday girl might have been watching. Some rebellious looking boy, and a grungy-hipstery, I'm-what-indie-rock-would-look-like-as-a-teenaged-girl, girl. It was hard to place what was so remarkable about them, which was probably why Chara started snapping in her face.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm not not okay," she replied hastily. "Go refill the bowl, and restock the snack table while you're at it. I'll be right back!"
"Butâ"
It was too late. She had already disappeared into the crowd.
***
Axel was better at following directions than Miren expected. He was a modest dancer who (mostly) kept his hands to himself, and he didn't really get too close for comfort, so success?
"So, Sara," the boy began, graduating to placing his hands on her hips. She would have wiggled out of his grip, but she didn't entirely hate the sensation. "Where have you been all my life?"
"Right in front of you," she almost replied. Instead, she just shook her head, hoping it would stop screaming at her. Sure, she knew she was playing with fire, but it wasn't like she wasn't used to being burned. "I bet you say that to all the girls."
"Yes, but my charm usually works on them." He tilted her twin toward him, and panic surged through her veins. Although she had grabbed a pair of souvenir heart-shaped glasses from an abandoned gift bag, they weren't entirely opaque. And just because he didn't know who she was, didn't mean he didn't know who he was. Which a cheeky grin, Miren moved his face toward the refreshment table. He blinked at her before his expression became even more scheming.
"Are you thirsty, babe?"
Miren fought the urge to groan as the boy pulled her closer to him. As he whispered all the things he wanted to do to her (with her consent, of course), she allowed her gaze to wander to the crowd. She hot spotted someone who she felt was Chara toward the refreshment table, as well as the new girlâOlive. She probably heard Jemma by now, and despite being here for a decent amount of time, she hardly felt at ease.
Her only saving grace was that she hadn't seen Penelopeâyet. At first she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. Because the girl her eyes had mistaken as Penelope was dancing with a guy that wasn't Parker. And that guy looked a lot like Jeno.
And they were really dancing. Penelope's hands were on his shoulders, and they moved effortlessly along the beat. So effortlessly that most of the people around them had stopped to watch. And probably generate gossip while they were at it.
Miren didn't realize she'd stopped dancing until Axel nudged her. The spell broke, but she felt no relief. She didn't even look at him when she told him she needed water. He said something in response, something harmless, if not helpful, but she didn't hear it. Nope, she'd definitely made a mistake coming here.
She wasn't foolish enough to think Jeno was suddenly with the demon girl or something, but then it occurred to her that it wasn't such a foolish thought. He'd seen Penelope's video of her. He rejected her for his ex-girlfriend. Yup, she was definitely leaving.
Grabbing her coat, she moved toward the entrance. In the corner of her eye, she could see someone moving in her direction. It wasn't someone familiar, so she figured it wasn't for her.
Nothing here was for her.